Generating and updating voice-based software applications using application templates

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods of generating voice-based software applications are provided. A system can receive, from an application developer computing device, a request to build a voice-based software application. The system can select an application template from a plurality of application templates. The selected application template can include a module that corresponds to a function of the voice-based software application. The system can provide the selected application template to the application developer computing device. The system can receive, from the application developer computing device, an input for a field of the at least one module of the selected application template. The system can generate the voice-based software application based on the selected application template and the input for the at least one field of the at least one module of the selected application template.

BACKGROUND

Applications can be installed on a computing device. The computingdevice can execute the applications.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is generally directed to generating and updatingvoice-based software applications using application templates. Anapplication developer may want to produce an application having avoice-based component. Such an application may be used by an end user toperform a wide range of functions, which may relate to one or moreservices provided by the application developer. It may be challengingfor the application developer to create the application in an efficientmanner and in a format that presents the end user with information andcontrols to perform the functions associated with the application. Forexample, the application developer may be required to write or otherwisegenerate low-level computer instructions or code corresponding to theapplication, which can be a time consuming and error-prone process. Thesystems and methods of this disclosure can select an applicationtemplate for the application developer based on the desired functions ofthe application. The application template can include one or moremodules each corresponding to a particular function of the application.The application developer can provide inputs corresponding to blankfields for at least one module of the application template, and a dataprocessing system can generate the application in an automated fashionbased on the inputs received from the application developer. Forexample, the data processing system can maintain standardized orreusable code corresponding to the modules, along with placeholders orblank fields that can be populated with customizable code to customizethe functionality of the module for the application developer. The dataprocessing system can use the inputs provided by the applicationdeveloper corresponding to the blank fields to populate the customizablecode and automatically generate the application. In addition, when anupdate to the standardized or reusable code of a module becomesavailable, the data processing system can automatically update theapplication based on the updated code and the inputs previously providedby the application developer. Thus, the data processing system canautomatically update the application without any additional input oraction from the application developer. As a result, the data processingsystem can allow software applications to be developed more efficientlyand updated automatically.

At least one aspect is directed to a system to generate voice-basedsoftware applications. The system can include a data processing systemincluding at least one processor and memory. The data processing systemcan receive, from an application developer computing device, a requestto build a voice-based software application. The data processing systemcan select, based on a policy and the request, an application templatefrom a plurality of application templates. The selected applicationtemplate can include at least one module that corresponds to a functionof the voice-based software application and has at least one field. Thedata processing system can provide the selected application template tothe application developer computing device to cause the selectedapplication template to be displayed on the application developercomputing device. The data processing system can receive, from theapplication developer computing device, an input for the at least onefield of the at least one module of the selected application template.The data processing system can generate the voice-based softwareapplication based on the selected application template and the input forthe at least one field of the at least one module of the selectedapplication template to allow the voice-based software application toperform, responsive to voice input, the function that corresponds to theat least one module of the selected application template. The dataprocessing system can detect an updated function including a change tothe function that corresponds to the at least one module of the selectedapplication template. The change to the function can be provided by anadministrator computing device of the data processing system differentfrom the application developer computing device. The data processingsystem can update, responsive to detection of the updated function, thevoice-based software application to allow the voice-based softwareapplication to perform the updated function.

Exemplary optional features of the system may be as follows. The dataprocessing system may be configured to parse the request to determine atype of the voice-based software application. The data processing systemmay be configured to select the application template based on the type.The data processing system may be configured to provide, to theapplication developer computing device, a list of application types tocause the list to be displayed on the application developer computingdevice. The data processing system may be configured to receive, fromthe application developer computing device, a selection of a first typeof the plurality of types. The data processing system may be configuredto select the application template based on the type. The dataprocessing system may be configured to determine a type of thevoice-based software application. The data processing system may beconfigured to identify a second module not included in the selectedapplication template. The second module may correspond to a secondfunction of the voice-based software application. The data processingsystem may be configured to modify the selected to application templateto generate a modified application template. The data processing systemmay be configured to provide the modified application template to theapplication developer computing device to cause the modified applicationtemplate to be displayed on the application developer computing device.The data processing system may be configured to determine a type of thevoice-based software application. The data processing system may beconfigured to identify a second voice-based software application havingthe same type. The data processing system may be configured to selectthe application template based on a second function of the secondvoice-based software application. The data processing system may beconfigured to parse the request to determine an intent. The dataprocessing system may be configured to identify a plurality of modulesassociated with the intent. The data processing system may be configuredto select the application template based on an overlap between theidentified plurality of modules associated with the intent and the atleast one module of the selected application template. The dataprocessing system may be configured to receive the request indicatingthat the voice-based application includes a video function. The dataprocessing system may be configured to select the application templateto include a video module to support the video function. The dataprocessing system may be configured to receive the request indicatingthat the voice-based application includes a video function. The dataprocessing system may be configured to select the application templateto include a video module to support the video function. The videomodule may correspond to at least one of a pause function, a playfunction, a rewind function, and a forward function. The data processingsystem may be configured to receive the request indicating that thevoice-based application includes a video function. The data processingsystem may be configured to select the application template to include avideo module to support the video function. The video modulecorresponding to at least one of a pause function, a play function, arewind function, or a forward function. The data processing system maybe configured to detect the updated function corresponding to a changein a graphical user interface element for the at least one of the pausefunction, the play function, the rewind function, or the forwardfunction. The data processing system may be configured to provide, tothe application developer computing device, a web-based graphical userinterface within which the selected application template is displayed.The data processing system may be configured to provide, to theapplication developer computing device, a software developmentapplication that is executed by the developer computing device. Thesoftware development application may include a graphical user interfacewithin which the selected application template is displayed.

At least one aspect is directed to a method of generating voice-basedsoftware applications. The method can include receiving, by a dataprocessing system including at least one processor and memory, from anapplication developer computing device, a request to build a voice-basedsoftware application. The method can include selecting, by the dataprocessing system based on a policy and the request, an applicationtemplate from a plurality of application templates. The selectedapplication template can include at least one module that corresponds toa function of the voice-based software application and having at leastone field. The method can include providing, by the data processingsystem, the selected application template to the application developercomputing device to cause the selected application template to bedisplayed on the application developer computing device. The method caninclude receiving, by the data processing system from the applicationdeveloper computing device, an input for the at least one field of theat least one module of the selected application template. The method caninclude generating, by the data processing system, the voice-basedsoftware application based on the selected application template and theinput for the at least one field of the at least one module of theselected application template to allow the voice-based softwareapplication to perform, responsive to voice input, the function thatcorresponds to the at least one module of the selected applicationtemplate. The method can include detecting, by the data processingsystem, an updated function including a change to the function thatcorresponds to the at least one module of the selected applicationtemplate. the change to the function can be provided by an administratorcomputing device of the data processing system different from theapplication developer computing device. The method can include updating,by the data processing system responsive to detection of the updatedfunction, the voice-based software application to allow the voice-basedsoftware application to perform the updated function.

Exemplary optional features of the method may be as follows. The methodcan include parsing, by the data processing system, the request todetermine a type of the voice-based software application. The method caninclude selecting, by the data processing system, the applicationtemplate based on the type. The method can include providing, by thedata processing system to the application developer computing device, alist of application types to cause the list to be displayed on theapplication developer computing device. The method can includereceiving, by the data processing system from the application developercomputing device, a selection of a first type of the plurality of types.The method can include selecting, by the data processing system, theapplication template based on the type. The method can includedetermining, by the data processing system, a type of the voice-basedsoftware application. The method can include identifying, by the dataprocessing system, a second module not included in the selectedapplication template. The second module can correspond to a secondfunction of the voice-based software application. The method can includemodifying, by the data processing system, the selected to applicationtemplate to generate a modified application template. The method caninclude providing, by the data processing system, the modifiedapplication template to the application developer computing device tocause the modified application template to be displayed on theapplication developer computing device. The method can includedetermining, by the data processing system, a type of the voice-basedsoftware application. The method can include identifying, by the dataprocessing system, a second voice-based software application having thesame type. The method can include selecting, by the data processingsystem, the application template based on a second function of thesecond voice-based software application. The method can include parsing,by the data processing system, the request to determine an intent. Themethod can include identifying, by the data processing system, aplurality of modules associated with the intent. The method can includeselecting, by the data processing system, the application template basedon an overlap between the identified plurality of modules associatedwith the intent and the at least one module of the selected applicationtemplate. The method can include receiving, by the data processingsystem, the request indicating that the voice-based application includesa video function. The method can include selecting, by the dataprocessing system, the application template to include a video module tosupport the video function. The method can include receiving, by thedata processing system, the request indicating that the voice-basedapplication includes a video function. The method can include selecting,by the data processing system, the application template to include avideo module to support the video function, the video modulecorresponding to at least one of a pause function, a play function, arewind function, and a forward function. The method can includereceiving, by the data processing system, the request indicating thatthe voice-based application includes a video function. The method caninclude selecting, by the data processing system, the applicationtemplate to include a video module to support the video function. Thevideo module can correspond to at least one of a pause function, a playfunction, a rewind function, or a forward function. The method caninclude detecting, by the data processing system, the updated functioncorresponding to a change in a graphical user interface element for theat least one of the pause function, the play function, the rewindfunction, or the forward function.

At least one aspect is directed to a computer program product that, whenimplemented on a data processing system of an application deliverycomponent, is configured to cause the data processing system to performthe method of generating voice-based software applications.

The individual features and/or combinations of features defined above inaccordance with any aspect of the present invention or below in relationto any specific embodiment of the invention may be utilized, eitherseparately and individually, alone or in combination with any otherdefined feature, in any other aspect or embodiment of the invention.

Furthermore, the present invention is intended to cover apparatusconfigured to perform any feature described herein in relation to amethod and/or a method of using or producing, using or manufacturing anyapparatus feature described herein.

These and other aspects and implementations are discussed in detailbelow. The foregoing information and the following detailed descriptioninclude illustrative examples of various aspects and implementations,and provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature andcharacter of the claimed aspects and implementations. The drawingsprovide illustration and a further understanding of the various aspectsand implementations, and are incorporated in and constitute a part ofthis specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. Likereference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate likeelements. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled inevery drawing. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an example system to generate voice-basedsoftware applications;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a graphical representation of anapplication template for generating voice-based software applications;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example operation of a system togenerate voice-based software applications;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example method of generating voice-basedsoftware applications; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a general architecture for acomputer system that can be employed to implement elements of thesystems and methods described and illustrated herein, including, forexample, the systems depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the applicationtemplate depicted in FIG. 2 , and the method depicted in FIG. 4 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Following below are more detailed descriptions of various conceptsrelated to, and implementations of, methods, apparatuses, and systems ofgenerating voice-based software applications. The various conceptsintroduced above and discussed in greater detail below may beimplemented in any of numerous ways.

This disclosure is generally directed to generating and updatingvoice-based software applications using application templates. Forexample, systems and methods of this disclosure can automatically builda voice-based software application based on a limited number of inputsprovided by an application developer. An application developer may wantto create an application that can be used by an end user to perform anyof a wide range of functions, which may relate to one or more servicesor features provided by the application developer. The softwareapplication can execute on a client computing device, which may be amobile computing device such as a smart phone or tablet, a laptopcomputer, a desktop computer, or the like. The application can make useof any input or output features of the client computing device, such asan electronic display, a speaker or other audio output device, amicrophone or other audio input device, a keyboard, a touchscreen, awireless communication interface, etc. Thus, the software applicationcan be configured to display text, images, or videos on the clientcomputing device, as well as user interface elements to allow a user tointeract with the software application. The software application canalso be configured to cause the client computing device to communicatewith one or more external computing devices, such as remote serverdevices.

It may be difficult for the application developer to create theapplication in an efficient manner and in a format that presents the enduser with information and controls to perform the functions associatedwith the application. For example, the application developer may berequired to write or otherwise generate low-level computer instructionsor code corresponding to the application, which can be a time consumingand error-prone process. The systems and methods of this disclosure canselect an application template for the application developer based onthe desired functions of the application. The application template canbe used by the application developer to more quickly and easily developthe application, relative to manually writing the computer code for theapplication.

The technical solution of this disclosure includes a data processingsystem that can select the application template based on thefunctionality to be provided by the application. For example, the systemcan determine or select the application template responsive to receivinga request from the developer to build the application. The dataprocessing system can maintain one or more policies that can be used toselect an application template. A policy can be any set of rules orheuristics for selecting one or more application templates based on arequest from an application developer. For example, the data processingsystem can determine an intent of the application developer based on therequest. The intent can be or can relate to a purpose of theapplication, a functionality to be provided by the application, or atype of the application. For example, an intent can relate to theapplication developer's desire to build the application to providefunctionality relating to allowing a user to request a car through aridesharing service, providing a weather forecast, streaming video froma third-party content provider, streaming music, providing a socialmedia platform, etc.

Applications having a common type or purpose may tend to have at leastsome features in common. For example, applications intended to providestreaming video to a client computing device may generally include videodisplay functionality, video control functionality, and the like. As aresult, at least some of the code used to build such applications may becommon (e.g., reusable) across the applications. To improve the speedand ease of building such applications, a module corresponding to thereusable code can be provided to an application developer, along withone or more fields in which the developer can enter inputs to customizea non-reusable or customized aspect of the module. For example, a videodisplay module may include reusable functionality such as a videodisplay area, a rewind interface element (e.g., a button orvoice-activated interface element), a play interface element, a pauseinterface element, and a fast forward interface element. Non-reusable orcustomizable aspects of such a module can relate to the particular videocontent to be displayed within the video display area. Thus, using sucha module, an application developer can be enabled to quickly build thesoftware application by providing inputs relating to the video contentto be displayed, and the data processing system can automaticallygenerate the code needed to build the reusable aspects of the videodisplay application. As a result, the developer need not spendadditional time writing code corresponding to the reusable aspects ofthe application, such as the video control features (e.g., interfaceelements), thereby improving the efficiency with which the applicationcan be generated.

The data processing system can select a template having one or moremodules and can provide the template to the application developer. Thedata processing system can select the template from among a plurality ofavailable templates based on the intent of the application developer.The data processing system can parse the request to build theapplication received from the application developer to determine theintent of the developer. For example, the request can include a textstring or an audio input (e.g., voice input) received from theapplication developer. The data processing system can parse the textstring or audio input, for example using natural language processing, todetermine the intent of the application developer. The data processingsystem may also receive the intent directly from the applicationdeveloper, for example via the request to build the application. Forexample, the data processing system may provide a list of possibleintents (e.g., a list including a plurality of types of applications orfunctions to be enabled by the application), and the developer canprovide an input corresponding to a selection of one of the possibleintents to the data processing system.

Based on the intent, the data processing system can select the templateto be provided to the developer using one or more policies. A policy canbe or can include a mapping of an intent with a respective template. Thedata processing system can refer to the one or more policies to selectan appropriate template. A policy may identify more than one templatebased on a single intent. The data processing system can provide allidentified templates to the application developer, or can select onetemplate from among the multiple templates identified according to thepolicy to provide to the application developer. The data processingsystem can also modify a template before the template is provided to theapplication developer. For example, a template may include one or moremodules such as the video display module described above. The dataprocessing system may add one or more additional modules, or remove oneor more modules, from the template to generate a modified template. Thedata processing system can add or remove modules from a template basedon an input received from the application developer. For example, thedata processing system may provide a list of available modules to theapplication developer, and the application developer can make aselection of one or more of the available modules. The data processingsystem can generate a new template to include the selected modules, orcan select an existing template having the selected modules. The dataprocessing system can also modify an existing template to create amodified template having the selected modules.

The application developer can provide one or more inputs for each moduleof a template. For example, the inputs can correspond to unpopulated orblank fields for the modules of the template. For example, a videodisplay module may include a field in which the application developercan enter information relating to the particular video content to bedisplayed. The application developer can provide the video contentitself (e.g., a video file) or can specify a location from which thevideo content can be retrieved (e.g., a uniform resource locator (URL)of a website that hosts the video content). In other examples, theapplication developer can provide text-based input for modules relatingto textual content (e.g., a text string to be displayed in a titlemodule) locations to be displayed in a map-related module, etc. The dataprocessing system can receive the inputs from the application developerand can generate the application based on the inputs. For example, thedata processing system can automatically generate the application byfilling in placeholder slots in the application code with code thatcorresponds to the inputs provided by the application developer. Codecorresponding to the reusable or non-customizable aspects of each modulemay remain unchanged. For example, the data processing system maymaintain the reusable portions of code corresponding to each module ortemplate in a data repository, and may retrieve them from the datarepository as needed. Then, the data processing system can populateblank placeholder portions of the code based on the inputs provided bythe application developer to generate the code for the application.

The data processing system can automatically update the application whenan update to the standardized or reusable code of a module becomesavailable. For example, the data processing system can store the inputsreceived from the application developer in a data repository, along withthe modules or templates to which the inputs correspond. When an updateto one of the modules or templates becomes available, the dataprocessing system can regenerate the application based on the updatedmodule or template. For example, an update may include a change to thefunctionality of a reusable portion of the code for a module, such as achange or improvement to a user interface element (e.g., additional ormodified video controls that were not available in an earlier version ofa video display module). Thus, the data processing system canautomatically update the application without any additional input oraction from the application developer. As a result, the data processingsystem can allow software applications to be developed more efficientlyand updated automatically. Developing an application using anapplication template can ensure that the application remains compatiblewith the module after the module is updated. This can allow additionalfunctionality to be added to the application by the administrator of thedata processing system, for example via an updated module, withouterrors being unintentionally introduced into the application as a resultof the update. Further, the application can make use of that additionalfunctionality immediately, without any additional input or action fromthe application developer.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 to generate voice-basedsoftware applications. The system 100 can include application deliveryinfrastructure. The system 100 can include an online application storeor marketplace. The system 100 can include a data processing system 102.The data processing system 102 can communicate with one or more of anapplication developer device 160, a third-party device 162, or a clientcomputing device 140 via network 105. The system 100 can alsocommunicate with other devices, such as content provider devices ordigital surface devices.

The network 105 can include computer networks such as the Internet,local, wide, metro, or other area networks, intranets, satellitenetworks, and other communication networks such as voice or data mobiletelephone networks. The network 105 can be used to access informationresources such as web pages, web sites, domain names, or URLs that canbe presented, output, rendered, or displayed on at least one clientcomputing device 140, such as a laptop, desktop, tablet, digitalassistant device, smart phone, wearable device, portable computers, orspeaker. For example, via the network 105 a user of the client computingdevice 140 can access information or data provided by the dataprocessing system 102 or application developer device 160.

The network 105 can include or constitute a display network, e.g., asubset of information resources available on the internet that areassociated with a content placement or search engine results system, orthat are eligible to include third party digital components as part of adigital component placement campaign. The network 105 can be used by thedata processing system 102 to access information resources such as webpages, web sites, domain names, or uniform resource locators that can bepresented, output, rendered, or displayed by the client computing device140. For example, via the network 105 a user of the client computingdevice 140 can access information or data provided by the dataprocessing system 102 or the application developer device 160.

The network 105 may be any type or form of network and may include anyof the following: a point-to-point network, a broadcast network, a widearea network, a local area network, a telecommunications network, a datacommunication network, a computer network, an ATM (Asynchronous TransferMode) network, a SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) network, a SDH(Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) network, a wireless network and awireline network. The network 105 may include a wireless link, such asan infrared channel or satellite band. The topology of the network 105may include a bus, star, or ring network topology. The network mayinclude mobile telephone networks using any protocol or protocols usedto communicate among mobile devices, including advanced mobile phoneprotocol (“AMPS”), time division multiple access (“TDMA”), code-divisionmultiple access (“CDMA”), global system for mobile communication(“GSM”), general packet radio services (“GPRS”) or universal mobiletelecommunications system (“UMTS”). Different types of data may betransmitted via different protocols, or the same types of data may betransmitted via different protocols.

The system 100 can include at least one data processing system 102. Thedata processing system 102 can include at least one logic device such asa computing device having a processor to communicate via the network105, for example with the client computing device 140 or the applicationdeveloper device 160 or other networked device or third-party device162. The data processing system 102 can include at least one computationresource, server, processor, or memory. For example, the data processingsystem 102 can include a plurality of computation resources or serverslocated in at least one data center. The data processing system 102 caninclude multiple, logically-grouped servers and can facilitatedistributed computing techniques. The logical group of servers may bereferred to as a data center, a server farm, or a machine farm. Theservers can also be geographically dispersed. A data center or machinefarm may be administered as a single entity, or the machine farm caninclude a plurality of machine farms. The servers within each machinefarm can be heterogeneous—one or more of the servers or machines canoperate according to one or more type of operating system platform.

Servers in the machine farm can be stored in high-density rack systems,along with associated storage systems, and located in an enterprise datacenter. For example, consolidating the servers in this way may improvesystem manageability, data security, the physical security of thesystem, and system performance by locating servers and high performancestorage systems on localized high performance networks. Centralizationof all or some of the data processing system 102 components, includingservers and storage systems, and coupling them with advanced systemmanagement tools allows more efficient use of server resources, whichsaves power and processing requirements and reduces bandwidth usage.

The system 100 can include, access, or otherwise interact with at leastone third-party device 162. The third-party device 162 can include atleast one logic device such as a computing device having a processor tocommunicate via the network 105, for example with the computing device140, the data processing system 102, or the application developer device160. The third-party device 162 can include at least one computationresource, server, processor or memory. For example, third-party device162 can include a plurality of computation resources or servers locatedin at least one data center.

The third-party device 162 can provide audio-based digital componentsfor presentation or display by the client computing device 140 as anaudio output digital component. The digital component can include anoffer for a good or service, such as a voice based message that states:“Would you like me to order you a taxi?” For example, the third-partydevice 162 can include memory to store a series of audio digitalcomponents that can be provided in response to a voice based query. Thethird-party device 162 can also provide audio based digital components(or other digital components) to the data processing system 102 wherethey can be stored in the data repository 118. The data processingsystem 102 can select the audio digital components and provide (orinstruct the third-party device 162 to provide) the audio digitalcomponents to the client computing device 140. The audio based digitalcomponents can be exclusively audio or can be combined with text, image,or video data.

The third-party device 162 can include, interface with, or otherwisecommunicate with the data processing system 102. The third-party device162 can include, interface, or otherwise communicate with the clientcomputing device 140. The third-party device 162 can include, interface,or otherwise communicate with the computing device 140, which can be amobile computing device. The third-party device 162 can include,interface, or otherwise communicate with the application developerdevice 160. For example, the third-party device 162 can provide adigital component to the client computing device 140 for execution bythe client computing device 140. The third-party device 162 can providethe digital component to the data processing system 102 for storage bythe data processing system 102. The third-party device 162 can providerules or parameters relating to the digital component to the dataprocessing system 102.

The client computing device 140 can download an application developed bythe application developer device 160. The client computing device 140can download the application from the data processing system 102 via thenetwork 105. The client computing device can download the applicationfrom the application delivery component 110. The client computing device140 can install the application. The client computing device 140 canexecute the application. The client computing device 140 can execute,launch, trigger or otherwise access or use the application responsive toa user input or trigger event or condition. The application can includea front-end component and a back-end component. The client computingdevice 140 can execute or provide the front-end component of theapplication, while the data processing system 102 or applicationdeveloper device 160 provides a back-end component of the application.

The client computing device 140 can include, interface, or otherwisecommunicate with at least one sensor 144, transducer 146, audio driver148, or pre-processor 150. The client computing device 140 can include alight source 142 or display device 152, such as a light indicator, lightemitting diode (“LED”), organic light emitting diode (“OLED”), or othervisual indicator configured to provide a visual or optic output. Thesensor 144 can include, for example, an ambient light sensor, proximitysensor, temperature sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, motion detector,GPS sensor, location sensor, microphone, or touch sensor. The transducer146 can include a speaker or a microphone. The audio driver 148 canprovide a software interface to the hardware transducer 146. The audiodriver can execute the audio file or other instructions provided by thedata processing system 102 to control the transducer 146 to generate acorresponding acoustic wave or sound wave. The pre-processor 150 caninclude a processing unit having hardware configured to detect a keywordand perform an action based on the keyword. The pre-processor 150 canfilter out one or more terms or modify the terms prior to transmittingthe terms to the data processing system 102 for further processing. Thepre-processor 150 can convert the analog audio signals detected by themicrophone into a digital audio signal, and transmit one or more datapackets carrying the digital audio signal to the data processing system102 via the network 105. In some cases, the pre-processor 150 cantransmit data packets carrying some or all of the input audio signalresponsive to detecting an instruction to perform such transmission. Theinstruction can include, for example, a trigger keyword or other keywordor approval to transmit data packets comprising the input audio signalto the data processing system 102.

The client computing device 140 can be associated with an end user thatenters voice queries as audio input into the client computing device 140(via the sensor 144) and receives audio output in the form of a computergenerated voice that can be provided from the data processing system 102(or the application developer device 160 or the third-party device 162)to the client computing device 140, output from the transducer 146(e.g., a speaker). The computer generated voice can include recordingsfrom a real person or computer generated language.

The client computing device 140 (or computing device, or client device,or digital device) may or may not include a display. For example, theclient computing device 140 may include limited types of userinterfaces, such as a microphone and speaker. In some cases, the primaryuser interface of the computing device 140 may be a microphone andspeaker, or voice interface. For example, the primary user interface ofthe client computing device 140 can include a voice-based or audio-baseduser interface. The client computing device 140 can include a displayand have the primary user interface be voice-based or audio-based. Theprimary user interface of the client computing device 140 can beconversational. A conversational user interface can refer to a userinterface that is at least in part driven or facilitated by a naturallanguage processor (“NLP”) component 106 of the data processing system102.

The data processing system 102 can include a content placement systemhaving at least one computation resource or server. The data processingsystem 102 can include, interface, or otherwise communicate with atleast one interface 104. The data processing system 102 can include,interface, or otherwise communicate with at least one NLP component 106.The data processing system 102 can include, interface, or otherwisecommunicate with at least one direct action application programminginterface (“API”) 108. The interface 104, NLP component 106 and directaction API 108 can provide a conversational API or digital assistantfunctionality. The conversational API or digital assistant cancommunicate or interface with one or more voice-based interfaces orvarious digital assistant devices or surfaces in order to provide dataor receive data or perform other functionality.

The data processing system 102 can include, interface, or otherwisecommunicate with at least one application delivery component 110. Thedata processing system 102 can include, interface, or otherwisecommunicate with at least one request management component 112. The dataprocessing system 102 can include, interface, or otherwise communicatewith at least one template management component 114. The data processingsystem 102 can include, interface, or otherwise communicate with atleast one application generation component 116.

The interface 104, NLP component 106, direct action API 108, applicationdelivery component 110, request management component 112, templatemanagement component 114, and application generation component 116 caneach include at least one processing unit or other logic device such asprogrammable logic array engine, or module configured to communicatewith the data repository 118 or other database. The interface 104, NLPcomponent 106, direct action API 108, application delivery component110, request management component 112, template management component114, application generation component 116, and data repository 118 canbe separate components, a single component, or part of the dataprocessing system 102. The system 100 and its components, such as a dataprocessing system 102, can include hardware elements, such as one ormore processors, logic devices, or circuits.

The data processing system 102 can obtain anonymous computer networkactivity information associated with a plurality of client computingdevices 140 (or computing device or digital assistant device). A user ofa client computing device 140 or mobile computing device canaffirmatively authorize the data processing system 102 to obtain networkactivity information corresponding to the client computing device 140 ormobile computing device. For example, the data processing system 102 canprompt the user of the computing device 140 for consent to obtain one ormore types of network activity information. The client computing device140 can include a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet,smartwatch, or wearable device. The identity of the user of the clientcomputing device 140 can remain anonymous and the computing device 140can be associated with a unique identifier (e.g., a unique identifierfor the user or the computing device provided by the data processingsystem or a user of the computing device). The data processing systemcan associate each observation with a corresponding unique identifier.

The data processing system 102 can interface with a third-party device162. The third-party device 162 can include or refer to a device of acontent provider. The content provider can establish an electroniccontent campaign. The electronic content campaign can be stored ascontent data in the data repository 118. An electronic content campaigncan refer to one or more content groups that correspond to a commontheme. A content campaign can include a hierarchical data structure thatincludes content groups, digital component data objects, and contentselection criteria. To create a content campaign, the content providercan specify values for campaign level parameters of the contentcampaign. The campaign level parameters can include, for example, acampaign name, a preferred content network for placing digital componentobjects, a value of resources to be used for the content campaign, startand end dates for the content campaign, a duration for the contentcampaign, a schedule for digital component object placements, language,geographical locations, type of computing devices on which to providedigital component objects. In some cases, an impression can refer towhen a digital component object is fetched from its source (e.g., dataprocessing system 102 or content provider), and is countable. In somecases, due to the possibility of click fraud, robotic activity can befiltered and excluded, as an impression. Thus, in some cases, animpression can refer to a measurement of responses from a Web server toa page request from a browser, which is filtered from robotic activityand error codes, and is recorded at a point as close as possible toopportunity to render the digital component object for display on thecomputing device 140. In some cases, an impression can refer to aviewable or audible impression; e.g., the digital component object is atleast partially (e.g., 20%, 30%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or more)viewable on a display device 152 of the client computing device 140, oraudible via a speaker 136 of the computing device 140. A click orselection can refer to a user interaction with the digital componentobject, such as a voice response to an audible impression, amouse-click, touch interaction, gesture, shake, audio interaction, orkeyboard click. A conversion can refer to a user taking a desired actionwith respect to the digital component objection; e.g., purchasing aproduct or service, completing a survey, visiting a physical storecorresponding to the digital component, or completing an electronictransaction.

The content provider can further establish one or more content groupsfor a content campaign. A content group includes one or more digitalcomponent objects and corresponding content selection criteria, such askeywords, words, terms, phrases, geographic locations, type of computingdevice, time of day, interest, topic, or vertical. Content groups underthe same content campaign can share the same campaign level parameters,but may have tailored specifications for particular content group levelparameters, such as keywords, negative keywords (e.g., that blockplacement of the digital component in the presence of the negativekeyword on main content), bids for keywords, or parameters associatedwith the bid or content campaign.

To create a new content group, the content provider can provide valuesfor the content group level parameters of the content group. The contentgroup level parameters include, for example, a content group name orcontent group theme, and bids for different content placementopportunities (e.g., automatic placement or managed placement) oroutcomes (e.g., clicks, impressions, or conversions). A content groupname or content group theme can be one or more terms that the contentprovider can use to capture a topic or subject matter for which digitalcomponent objects of the content group is to be selected for display.For example, a car dealership can create a different content group foreach brand of vehicle it carries, and may further create a differentcontent group for each model of vehicle it carries. Examples of thecontent group themes that the car dealership can use include, forexample, “Make A sports car” “Make B sports car,” “Make C sedan,” “MakeC truck,” “Make C hybrid,” or “Make D hybrid.” An example contentcampaign theme can be “hybrid” and include content groups for both “MakeC hybrid” and “Make D hybrid”, for example.

The content provider can provide one or more keywords and digitalcomponent objects to each content group. Keywords can include terms thatare relevant to the product or services of associated with or identifiedby the digital component objects. A keyword can include one or moreterms or phrases. For example, the car dealership can include “sportscar,” “V-6 engine,” “four-wheel drive,” “fuel efficiency,” as keywordsfor a content group or content campaign. In some cases, negativekeywords can be specified by the content provider to avoid, prevent,block, or disable content placement on certain terms or keywords. Thecontent provider can specify a type of matching, such as exact match,phrase match, or broad match, used to select digital component objects.

The content provider can provide one or more keywords to be used by thedata processing system 102 to select a digital component object providedby the content provider. The content provider can identify one or morekeywords to bid on, and further provide bid amounts for variouskeywords. The content provider can provide additional content selectioncriteria to be used by the data processing system 102 to select digitalcomponent objects. Multiple content providers can bid on the same ordifferent keywords, and the data processing system 102 can run a contentselection process or ad auction responsive to receiving an indication ofa keyword of an electronic message.

The content provider can provide one or more digital component objectsfor selection by the data processing system 102. The data processingsystem 102 can select the digital component objects when a contentplacement opportunity becomes available that matches the resourceallocation, content schedule, maximum bids, keywords, and otherselection criteria specified for the content group. Different types ofdigital component objects can be included in a content group, such as avoice digital component, audio digital component, a text digitalcomponent, an image digital component, video digital component,multimedia digital component, or digital component link. A digitalcomponent object (or digital component) can include, for example, acontent item, an online document, audio, images, video, multimediacontent, or sponsored content. Upon selecting a digital component, thedata processing system 102 can transmit the digital component object forrendering on a computing device 140 or display device 152 of thecomputing device 140. Rendering can include displaying the digitalcomponent on a display device, or playing the digital component via aspeaker of the computing device 140. The data processing system 102 canprovide instructions to a computing device 140 to render the digitalcomponent object. The data processing system 102 can instruct thecomputing device 140, or an audio driver 148 of the computing device140, to generate audio signals or acoustic waves.

The data repository 118 can include one or more local or distributeddatabases, and can include a database management system. The datarepository 118 can include computer data storage or memory and can storeone or more of application data 120, templates 122, or policies 124,among other data. The data repository 118 can store the one or more ofapplication data 120, the templates 122, or the policies 124 in one ormore data structures, databases, data files, indexes, or other type ofdata storage.

The application data 120 can include information about an application.The application data 120 can include information about an applicationsubmitted by an application developer device 160. The application data120 can include metadata associated with an application. Applicationdata 120 can include, for example, a title of an application, shortdescription, detail description, version identifier, entities, actions,intents, compatibility information, size, type of application, categoryof the application, among other information. Application data 120 caninclude a unique identifier of the application, such as an alphanumericidentifier. Application data 120 can include information about theapplication developer that provided or submitted the application.

The application data 120 may also include information such as computercode relating to the template 122. The templates 122 can be or can referto standardized, reusable, or non-customizable portions of computer codefor building a software application, along with one or more blank orunpopulated fields that can be populated with customized code. Thestandardized portions of a template 122 can be common across a varietyof applications. As a result, the standardized portions of a template122 can be reused so as to avoid the necessity for the applicationdeveloper device 160 to generate the code corresponding to thestandardized portion of a template 122. For example, a template caninclude one or more modules each corresponding to a respective functionof an application. Each module can include one or more blank orunpopulated fields that can be populated based on an input received fromthe application developer device 160. Modules of a template maycorrespond to functions such as displaying a video content item, displaytext, providing navigation controls (e.g., buttons to allow a user tomove between pages of application), providing hyperlinks to other pagesof the application or external web sites, providing user-selectableinterface elements (e.g., fillable text fields, radio buttons, checkboxes, dropdown menus, etc.), or any other feature of an application. Atemplate 122 may include any number of modules. Each template 122 maycorrespond to a particular type or types of applications. For example, atemplate 122 that includes a video display module may correspond to astreaming video application, a template 122 that includes a module fordisplaying text may correspond to an e-reader application, etc. In thisdisclosure, a “type” of an application can also be referred to as a“vertical.” Some templates 122 may correspond to more than one type ofapplication. An application can also be built using more than onetemplate 122.

Referring now to FIG. 2 , depicted is an illustration of a graphicalrepresentation of an application template 122 for generating voice-basedsoftware applications. The template 122 depicted in FIG. 2 isillustrative only, and other templates 122 may include additional ordifferent modules than those illustrated in FIG. 2 . As shown, thetemplate 122 of FIG. 2 can include a plurality of modules eachcorresponding to one or more features of an application. For example, atitle module 205 can correspond to a title of an application or a titleof a page within an application. A subtitle module 210 can correspond toa subtitle of the application or a subtitle of a page of theapplication. A video display module 215 can provide a video display areain which video content can be shown via the application. A videocontrols module 220 can provide user interface elements to allow a userto control aspects of the video display module 215. A text displaymodule 225 can provide a text display area in which text-based contentcan be shown via the application. An application navigation module 230can provide user interface elements to allow a user to navigate betweenpages of the application.

Each of the modules included in the template 122 may include at leastsome standardized code. For example, the video controls module 220 mayinclude standardized text corresponding to an appearance, arrangement,or position of each button within the video controls module 220, as wellas standardized code relating to the user interaction with each of thebuttons of the video controls module 220. For example, the videocontrols module 220 may include standardized code configured to detect auser interaction (e.g., a click of a mouse) and to perform an associatedaction on the video displayed in the video display area of the videodisplay module 215 (e.g., pausing the video in response to detecting auser interaction with a pause button provided by the video controlsmodule 220). Each module of the template 122 may also includestandardized code relating to non-visual aspects of the application. Forexample, the video controls module 220 may include standardized codeallowing a user to interact with video content in the video display areaof the video display module 215 via an audio-based input. Accordingly,the video controls module 220 may include standardized code configuredto detect an audio input (e.g., a user's voice) and to parse the audioinput to determine a trigger word that can an interaction with the videocontent displayed in the video display area of the video display module215. For example, the video controls module 220 may include standardizedcode to detect the word “play” in the audio input, and to respond byplaying the video content in the video display area of the video displaymodule 215.

The other modules of the template 122 may also include standardized codeto provide corresponding functions. For example, the title module 205,the subtitle module 210, and the text display module 225 can eachinclude standardized code relating to a font, a color, a position, anorientation, or any other aspects of the text content to be displayed inthe respective modules. At least some of the modules of the template 122can also include placeholders or blank fields corresponding tocustomizable aspects of the modules. For example, the title module 205,the subtitle module 210, and the text display module 225 can eachinclude a blank field corresponding to one or more text strings to bedisplayed by these modules. Similarly, the video display module 215 mayinclude a blank field corresponding to the particular video content tobe displayed in the video display area. The video content can bespecified as a video file or a pointer to a location from which thevideo content can be retrieved (e.g., a URL for a website that hosts thevideo content to be displayed in the video display area of the videodisplay module 215).

Using the template 122, an application developer can provide inputscorresponding to the customizable portions of each of the modulesincluded in the template 122. For example, referring again to FIG. 1 ,the data processing system 102 can provide the template 122 of FIG. 2 tothe application developer device 160. A developer can use theapplication developer device 160 to enter inputs for the customizableportions of the title module 205, the subtitle module 210, the videodisplay module 215, and the text display module 225. The applicationdeveloper device 160 can transmit the inputs back to the data processingsystem 102 via the network 105. In response, the data processing system102 or a component thereof such as application generation component 116can generate an application using the standardized code for each modulealong with the user inputs corresponding to the customizable aspects ofeach module of the template 122. Thus, the application developer device160 may provide only a limited amount of information (e.g., the inputsfor the blank or unpopulated fields of the modules of the template 122),and the data processing system 102 can use that limited information togenerate the complete application.

The template 122 depicted in FIG. 2 is illustrative only. For example, atemplate 122 may include additional or different modules than aredepicted the template 122 of FIG. 2 . In addition, the template 122 maybe formatted differently than is depicted in FIG. 2 . For example, whileFIG. 2 illustrates the template 122 as a graphical representation of therelative position and arrangement of the title module 205, the subtitlemodule 210, the video display module 215, the video controls module 220,the text display module 225, and the application navigation module 230,in some implementations, the template 122 may not be formatted in agraphical manner. For example, the template 122 may instead be formattedas an extensible markup language (XML) document, a hypertext transferprotocol (HTML) document, or another non-graphical file type. Thetemplate 122 may be displayed within a graphical user interface on theapplication developer device 160. The graphical user interface can be aweb-based graphical user interface. The graphical user interface can bean interface of a dedicated software development application.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , each policy 124 can be or can include one ormore rules, heuristics, instructions, or other information that can beused by the data processing system 102 to select one of the templates122 to be provided to the application developer device 160. The dataprocessing system 102 or a component thereof such as the requestmanagement component 112 can receive a request from the applicationdeveloper device 160 to build an application. The data processing system102 can select one or more templates 122 to provide to the applicationdeveloper device 160 based on the request and the policies 124. Forexample, the request can be or can include an intent of the developer,and the policies 124 can be used to select one or more templates basedon the intent. In some implementations, the policies 124 can include oneor more mappings of intents with respective templates 122. The policies124 can also include rules, heuristics, or other instructions forselecting a template 122 based on a type of the application to begenerated. For example, the type may be or may include the intent. Thedata processing system 102 may also derive the type of the applicationfrom the intent.

The data processing system 102 can include an interface 104 (orinterface component) designed, configured, constructed, or operationalto receive and transmit information using, for example, data packets.The interface 104 can receive and transmit information using one or moreprotocols, such as a network protocol. The interface 104 can include ahardware interface, software interface, wired interface, or wirelessinterface. The interface 104 can facilitate translating or formattingdata from one format to another format. For example, the interface 104can include an application programming interface that includesdefinitions for communicating between various components, such assoftware components. The interface 104 can communicate with one or moreof the client computing device 140, application developer device 160, orthird-party device 162 via network 105.

The data processing system 102 can interface with an application, scriptor program installed at the client computing device 140, such as an appto communicate input audio signals to the interface 104 of the dataprocessing system 102 and to drive components of the local clientcomputing device to render output audio signals. The data processingsystem 102 can receive data packets or one or more other signals thatinclude or identify an audio input signal.

The data processing system 102 can include an NLP component 106. Forexample, the data processing system 102 can execute or run the NLPcomponent 106 to receive or obtain the audio signal and parse the audiosignal. For example, the NLP component 106 can provide for interactionsbetween a human and a computer. The NLP component 106 can be configuredwith techniques for understanding natural language and allowing the dataprocessing system 102 to derive meaning from human or natural languageinput. The NLP component 106 can include or be configured with techniquebased on machine learning, such as statistical machine learning. The NLPcomponent 106 can utilize decision trees, statistical models, orprobabilistic models to parse the input audio signal. The NLP component106 can perform, for example, functions such as named entity recognition(e.g., given a stream of text, determine which items in the text map toproper names, such as people or places, and what the type of each suchname is, such as person, location, or organization), natural languagegeneration (e.g., convert information from computer databases orsemantic intents into understandable human language), natural languageunderstanding (e.g., convert text into more formal representations suchas first-order logic structures that a computer module can manipulate),machine translation (e.g., automatically translate text from one humanlanguage to another), morphological segmentation (e.g., separating wordsinto individual morphemes and identify the class of the morphemes, whichcan be challenging based on the complexity of the morphology orstructure of the words of the language being considered), questionanswering (e.g., determining an answer to a human-language question,which can be specific or open-ended), semantic processing (e.g.,processing that can occur after identifying a word and encoding itsmeaning in order to relate the identified word to other words withsimilar meanings).

The NLP component 106 can convert the audio input signal into recognizedtext by comparing the input signal against a stored, representative setof audio waveforms (e.g., in the data repository 118) and choosing theclosest matches. The set of audio waveforms can be stored in datarepository 118 or other database accessible to the data processingsystem 102. The representative waveforms are generated across a largeset of users, and then may be augmented with speech samples from theuser. After the audio signal is converted into recognized text, the NLPcomponent 106 matches the text to words that are associated, for examplevia training across users or through manual specification, with actionsthat the data processing system 102 can serve. Aspects or functionalityof the NLP component 106 can be performed by the data processing system102 or the client computing device 140. For example, a local NLPcomponent can execute on the client computing device 140 to performaspects of converting the input audio signal to text and transmittingthe text via data packets to the data processing system 102 for furthernatural language processing.

The audio input signal can be detected by the sensor 144 or transducer146 (e.g., a microphone) of the client computing device 140. Via thetransducer 146, the audio driver 148, or other components the clientcomputing device 140 can provide the audio input signal to the dataprocessing system 102 (e.g., via the network 105) where it can bereceived (e.g., by the interface 104) and provided to the NLP component106 or stored in the data repository 118.

The client computing device 140 can include an audio driver 148, atransducer 146, a sensor 144 and a pre-processor 150. The sensor 144 canreceive or detect an input audio signal (e.g., voice input). Thepre-processor 150 can be coupled to the audio driver, the transducer,and the sensor. The pre-processor 150 can filter the input audio signalto create a filtered input audio signal (e.g., by removing certainfrequencies or suppressing noise). The pre-processor 150 can convert thefiltered input audio signal to data packets (e.g., using a software orhardware digital-to-analog converter). In some cases, the pre-processor150 can convert the unfiltered input audio signal to data packets andtransmit the data packets to the data processing system 102. Thepre-processor 150 can transmit the data packets to a data processingsystem 102 comprising one or more processors and memory that execute anatural language processor component, an interface, a speakerrecognition component, and a direct action application programminginterface.

The data processing system 102 can receive, via the interface, from thepre-processor component, the data packets comprising the filtered (orunfiltered) input audio signal detected by the sensor. The dataprocessing system 102 can identify an acoustic signature from the inputaudio signal. The data processing system 102 can identify, based on alookup in a data repository (e.g., querying a database), an electronicaccount corresponding to the acoustic signature. The data processingsystem 102 can establish, responsive to identification of the electronicaccount, a session and an account for use in the session. The accountcan include a profile having one or more policies. The data processingsystem 102 can parse the input audio signal to identify a request and atrigger keyword corresponding to the request.

The data processing system 102 can provide, to the pre-processor 150 ofthe client computing device 140, a status. The client computing device140 can receive the indication of the status. The audio driver canreceive the indication of the status of the profile, and generate anoutput signal based on the indication. The audio driver can convert theindication to an output signal, such as sound signal, or acoustic outputsignal. The audio driver can drive the transducer 146 (e.g., speaker) togenerate sound based on the output signal generated by the audio drive.

In some cases, the client computing device 140 can include a lightsource 142. The light source can include one or more LEDs, lights,display, or other component or device configured to provide an opticalor visual output. The pre-processor 150 can cause the light source toprovide a visual indication corresponding to the status. For example,the visual indication can be a status indicator light that turns on, achange in color of the light, a light pattern with one or more colors,or a visual display of text or images.

The NLP component 106 can obtain the input audio signal. From the inputaudio signal, the NLP component 106 can identify at least one request orat least one trigger keyword corresponding to the request. The requestcan indicate intent or subject matter of the input audio signal. Thetrigger keyword can indicate a type of action likely to be taken. Thetrigger keyword can be a wakeup signal or hotword that indicates to theclient computing device 140 to convert the subsequent audio input intotext and transmit the text to data processing system 102 for furtherprocessing. For example, the NLP component 106 can parse the input audiosignal to identify at least one request to leave home for the evening toattend dinner and a movie. The trigger keyword can include at least oneword, phrase, root or partial word, or derivative indicating an actionto be taken. For example, the trigger keyword “go” or “to go to” fromthe input audio signal can indicate a need for transport. In thisexample, the input audio signal (or the identified request) does notdirectly express an intent for transport, however the trigger keywordindicates that transport is an ancillary action to at least one otheraction that is indicated by the request.

The NLP component 106 can parse the input audio signal to identify,determine, retrieve, or otherwise obtain the request and the triggerkeyword. For instance, the NLP component 106 can apply a semanticprocessing technique to the input audio signal to identify the triggerkeyword or the request. The NLP component 106 can apply the semanticprocessing technique to the input audio signal to identify a triggerphrase that includes one or more trigger keywords, such as a firsttrigger keyword and a second trigger keyword. For example, the inputaudio signal can include the sentence “I want a ride to the airport.”The NLP component 106 can apply a semantic processing technique, orother natural language processing technique, to the data packetscomprising the sentence to identify the request or trigger phrases “wanta ride” and “airport”. The NLP component 106 can further identifymultiple trigger keywords, such as want and ride. For example, the NLPcomponent 106 can determine that the trigger phrase includes the triggerkeyword and a second trigger keyword.

The NLP component 106 can filter the input audio signal to identify thetrigger keyword. For example, the data packets carrying the input audiosignal can include “It would be great if I could get someone that couldhelp me go to the airport”, in which case the NLP component 106 canfilter out one or more terms as follows: “it”, “would”, “be”, “great”,“if”, “I”, “could”, “get”, “someone”, “that”, “could”, or “help”. Byfiltering out these terms, the NLP component 106 may more accurately andreliably identify the trigger keywords, such as “go to the airport” anddetermine that this is a request for a taxi or a ride sharing service.

In some cases, the NLP component 106 can determine that the data packetscarrying the input audio signal includes one or more requests. Forexample, the input audio signal can include the sentence “I want topurchase an audiobook and monthly subscription to movies.” The NLPcomponent 106 can determine this is a request for an audio book and astreaming multimedia service. The NLP component 106 can determine thisis a single request or multiple requests. The NLP component 106 candetermine that this is two requests: a first request for a serviceprovider that provides audiobooks, and a second request for a serviceprovider that provides movie streaming. In some cases, the NLP component106 can combine the multiple determined requests into a single request,and transmit the single request to a third-party device 162. In somecases, the NLP component 106 can transmit the individual requests toanother service provider device, or separately transmit both requests tothe same third-party device 162.

The data processing system 102 can include a direct action API 108designed and constructed to generate, based on the trigger keyword, anaction data structure responsive to the request. The direct action API108 can generate the action data structure to cause an application toperform the corresponding action. The direct action API 108 can transmitthe action data structure to the application installed on the clientcomputing device 140 to cause the client computing device 140 to performthe corresponding action or initiate an action. The action datastructure generated by the direct action API 108 can include a deep linkfor an application installed on the client computing device 140. Theapplication installed on the client computing device 140 can thenperform the action or communicate with the application developer device160 or a third-party device 162 to perform the action.

Processors of the data processing system 102 can invoke the directaction API 108 to execute scripts that generate a data structure toprovide to an application installed on the client computing device 140,an application developer device 160, or a third-party device 162 orother service provider to obtain a digital component, order a service orproduct, such as a car from a car share service or an audiobook. Thedirect action API 108 can obtain data from the data repository 118, aswell as data received with end user consent from the client computingdevice 140 to determine location, time, user accounts, logistical orother information to allow the third-party device 162 to perform anoperation, such as reserve a car from the car share service. Using thedirect action API 108, the data processing system 102 can alsocommunicate with the third-party device 162 to complete the conversionby in this example making the car share pick up reservation.

The direct action API 108 can execute a specified action to satisfy theend user's intention, as determined by the data processing system 102.Depending on the action specified in its inputs and the parameters orrules in the data repository 118, the direct action API 108 can executecode or a dialog script that identifies the parameters required tofulfill a user request. The direct action API 108 can execute anapplication to satisfy or fulfill the end user's intention. Such codecan look-up additional information, e.g., in the data repository 118,such as the name of a home automation service, or third-party service,or it can provide audio output for rendering at the client computingdevice 140 to ask the end user questions such as the intendeddestination of a requested taxi. The direct action API 108 can determineparameters and can package the information into an action datastructure, which can then be sent to another component such as theapplication delivery component 110 to be fulfilled.

The direct action API 108 can receive an instruction or command from theNLP component 106, or other component of the data processing system 102,to generate or construct the action data structure. The direct actionAPI 108 can determine a type of action in order to select a templatestored in the data repository 118. The actions can be fulfilled byapplication provided by the application delivery component 110 andsubmitted by an application developer device 160. The application canperform or facilitate the performance of the action. Example types ofactions can include, for example, watch action, listen action, readaction, navigation action, or weather action. Types of actions caninclude or be configured to provide, for example, services, products,reservations, tickets, multimedia content, audiobook, managesubscriptions, adjust subscriptions, transfer digital currency, makepurchases, or music. Types of actions can further include types ofservices or products. For example, types of services can include carshare service, food delivery service, laundry service, maid service,repair services, household services, device automation services, ormedia streaming services. Types of products can include, for example,clothes, shoes, toys, electronics, computers, books, or jewelry. Typesof reservations can include, for example, dinner reservations or hairsalon appointments. Types of tickets can include, for example, movietickets, sports venue tickets, or flight tickets. In some cases, thetypes of services, products, reservations or tickets can be categorizedbased on price, location, type of shipping, availability, or otherattributes.

The NLP component 106 can parse the input audio signal to identify arequest and a trigger keyword corresponding to the request, and providethe request and trigger keyword to the direct action API 108 to causethe direct action API to generate, based on the trigger keyword, a firstaction data structure responsive to the request. The direct action API108, upon identifying the type of request, can access the correspondingtemplate from a template repository (e.g., data repository 118).Templates can include fields in a structured data set that can bepopulated by the direct action API 108 to further the operation that isrequested via input audio detected by the client computing device 140(such as the operation of sending a taxi to pick up an end user at apickup location and transport the end user to a destination location).The direct action API 108, or client computing device 140, can launch ortrigger an application to fulfill the request in the input audio. Forexample, a car sharing service application can include one or more ofthe following fields: device identifier, pick up location, destinationlocation, number of passengers, or type of service. The direct actionAPI 108 can populate the fields with values. To populate the fields withvalues, the direct action API 108 can ping, poll or otherwise obtaininformation from one or more sensors 144 of the computing device 140 ora user interface of the device 140. For example, the direct action API108 can detect the source location using a location sensor, such as aGPS sensor. The direct action API 108 can obtain further information bysubmitting a survey, prompt, or query to the end of user of thecomputing device 140. The direct action API can submit the survey,prompt, or query via interface 104 of the data processing system 102 anda user interface of the computing device 140 (e.g., audio interface,voice-based user interface, display, or touch screen). Thus, the directaction API 108 can select a template for the action data structure basedon the trigger keyword or the request, populate one or more fields inthe template with information detected by one or more sensors 144 orobtained via a user interface, and generate, create or otherwiseconstruct the action data structure to facilitate performance of anoperation by the third-party device 162.

The data processing system 102 can include, interface with or otherwiseaccess an application delivery component 110. The application deliverycomponent 110 can also be separate from the data processing system 102.For example, the application delivery component 110 can be a separatesystem or server from the data processing system 102. The dataprocessing system 102 can communicate with the application deliverycomponent 110 via network 105.

The application delivery component 110 can receive an applicationsubmitted by or generated based in part on inputs provided by theapplication developer device 160. For example, the application developerdevice 160 may provide inputs for blank or unpopulated modules of one ormore templates 122, and the data processing system 102 may generate theapplication based on the one or more templates 122 and the inputsprovided by the application developer device 160. The applicationdelivery component 110 can maintain one or more versions of anapplication. The application delivery component 110 can transmit theapplication to a client computing device 140. The application deliverycomponent 110 can download the application onto a client computingdevice 140. The application delivery component 110 can maintain anonline application store or marketplace. The application deliverycomponent 110 can manage or maintain accounts for application developerdevices 160 or client computing devices 140. The application deliverycomponent 110 can maintain profiles for the accounts. The accounts orprofiles can be associated with a unique identifier. The account caninclude a financial account or token account that can be used topurchase or subscribe to application. The application delivery component110 can prompt a user of a client computing device 140 to pay for anapplication by providing electronic account information, such as anelectronic financial account.

The data processing system 102 can also receive information relating toan application from the application developer device 160 in the form ofone or more inputs. The inputs may not include a complete application,however the data processing system 102 can be configured to generate anapplication based on the inputs received from the application developerdevice 160. For example, the data processing system 102 can receiveinputs from the application developer device 160 corresponding toinformation to be used to populate blank fields of one or more modulesof one or more templates 122. The data processing system 102 cangenerate, construct, build, or otherwise create an application based onthe templates and the inputs received from the application developerdevice 160.

The data processing system 102 can include, interface with or otherwiseaccess a request management component 112. The request managementcomponent 112 can receive, process, and manage a request from theapplication developer device 160. The request may be or may include arequest for the data processing system 102 to generate an application.The request management component 112 may communicate with theapplication developer device 160 to solicit or otherwise prompt theapplication developer device 160 to provide the request. For example,the request management component 112 may provide an interface (e.g., agraphical user interface) for display on the application developerdevice 160. A user of the application developer device 160 may interactwith the interface to provide the request. The interface may provide oneor more selectable options that a user of the application developerdevice 160 can select when providing the request. For example, theoptions may correspond to intents of the developer that relate to theapplication. An intent may be or may relate to one or more functions orpurposes of the application. An intent may also correspond to a type ofthe application. The request management component 112 may provide aninterface having a list of available intents or types, and a user of theapplication developer device 160 may select one or more of the availableintents or types when making the request.

The request management component 112 may also be configured to process,parse, or otherwise extract an intent or type from the request. Forexample, the request received from the application developer device 160may include a natural language component (e.g., text corresponding tonatural language or an audio input corresponding to natural language).The request management component 112 can be configured to process therequest to identify at least one intent. The request managementcomponent 112 can extract an intent from the request based on keywordsor phrases included in the request.

The data processing system 102 can include, interface with or otherwiseaccess a template management component 114. The template managementcomponent 114 can maintain the templates 122. The template managementcomponent 114 can generate, modify, and update the templates 122. Thetemplate management component 114 can generate a template 122 to includeone or more modules. A module can refer to a particular function orfeature associated with a template 122. The template managementcomponent 114 can select related modules to be included with eachtemplate 122, based on a type of application associated with thetemplates 122, or based on an intent of a use of the applicationdeveloper device 160 that provided the request to build an application.For example, types of applications or intents can be associated with oneor more functions, and the template management component 114 canmaintain a mapping of the functions with their associated applicationtypes or intents. For each application type or intent, the templatemanagement component 114 can generate at least one template 122 thatincludes at least one module corresponding to one or more functionsassociated with that type of application.

The template management component 114 can receive information related toa request to build an application, for example from the requestmanagement component 112. The template management component 114 canselect one or more templates 122 to be provided to the applicationdeveloper device 160 based on the information related to the request.For example, the template management component 114 can receive anindication of a type of application or an intent from the requestmanagement component 112. The template management component 114 canselect a template 122 that corresponds to the type of application or theintent. Each template 122 may include or may be associated with metadataindicates one or more types of applications or intents to which thetemplate 122 corresponds. The template management component 114 canmatch the type of the application extracted or determined from therequest received from the application developer device 160 with thetemplates that correspond to that type based on the metadata included inor associated with each template. The template management component 114can also modify an existing template 122. For example, the templatemanagement component 114 can determine that the information receivedfrom request management component 112 indicates that the applicationshould include functionality of a combination of modules that may not beincluded in any existing template 122. In response, the templatemanagement component 114 can modify an existing template 122 to add orremove modules, such that the modified template 122 includes anappropriate combination of modules.

The template management component 114 or the request managementcomponent 112 can provide the selected template to the applicationdeveloper device 160. The template management component 114 can providethe selected template 122 to the application developer device 160 in amanner that causes a representation of the template 122 to be displayedon an electronic display of the application developer device 160. Forexample, the template management component 114 can provide informationcorresponding to the selected template 122 in a format that allows thetemplate 122 to be displayed within a graphical user interface of a webbrowser executed by or otherwise displayed on the application developerdevice 160. The template management component 114 can also provide adedicated software development application to the application developerdevice 160. For example, the software development application caninclude a standalone application for a user of the application developerdevice 160 to provide information (e.g., the request to build theapplication, inputs relating to a template 122, etc.) to the dataprocessing system 102. The template management component 114 can thenprovide the selected template 122 in a format that allows the template122 to be displayed within a graphical user interface of the softwaredevelopment application on the application developer device 160.

The data processing system 102 can include, interface with, or otherwiseaccess an application generation component 116. The applicationgeneration component 116 can build or generate an application based inpart on information received from the application developer device 160.For example, the application generation component 116 can generatecomputer code corresponding to the application, and can compile the codeto build or generate the application. The computer code can includestandardized or reusable code that may correspond to standardizedfeatures of a one or more modules included in one or more templatesprovided to the application developer device 160. The computer code canalso include customized code corresponding to the inputs received fromthe application developer device 160.

The application generation component 116 can use the application data120 to generate the application. For example, at least some of theapplication data 120 can correspond to the standardized or reusable codefor each module of each template 122. The application generationcomponent 116 can receive, from the application developer device 160, apopulated template 122. For example, inputs provided by the applicationdeveloper device 160 can populate blank fields for one or more modulesof a template 122 provided to the application developer device 160. Theapplication generation component 116 can locate within the applicationdata 120 the reusable code corresponding to the modules of the populatedtemplate 122, and can fill in blank portions of the code with codecorresponding to the inputs provided by the application developer device160. The application generation component 116 can compile the code togenerate the application. The application can be stored in the datarepository 118. For example, the application can be a portion of theapplication data 120 in the data repository 118. The applicationdelivery component 110 can deliver the application to the applicationdeveloper device 160 or to the client computing device 140.

The application generation component 116 can also be configured toupdate the application after it has been generated. The applicationgeneration component 116 can update the application in an automatedfashion. For example, the application generation component 116 canupdate the application without receiving any additional input from theapplication developer device 160. The application generation component116 can update the application based on an update to the functionalityof one or more modules of one or more templates 122 used to generate theapplication. A module can be updated to change or upgrade functionalityof the module. For example, with reference to FIG. 2 , the videocontrols module 220 may be updated to include more, fewer, or additionalbuttons or other controls. The video display module 215 can be updatedto change a size or a resolution of its associated video display area.Generally, any module may be changed, modified, upgraded, or otherwisealtered in a way that results in a change to its underlying computercode. The application generation component 116 can detect changes tomodules or templates 122, and can automatically update any applicationthat includes or is based on those modules or templates 122. Forexample, responsive to detecting a change to a module that was used tobuild an application, the application generation component 116 canregenerate the application using the new computer code that correspondsto the changed or updated module. The application generation component116 can use the same inputs previously provided by the applicationdeveloper device 160 when updating the application. As a result, theupdated application may include customizable portions that are the sameas or similar to the customizable portions of the original application.The application generation component 116 can store the updatedapplication in the data repository 118. The application generationcomponent 116 can automatically provide the updated application toeither or both of the application developer device 160 and the clientcomputing device 140.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the operation of a system 300 to generatevoice-based software applications. The system 300 can include one ormore component of system 100 depicted in FIG. 1 or system 500 depictedin FIG. 5 . The system 300 can include a data processing system 102. Thedata processing system 102 can communicate, interface with, or otherwiseinteract with an application developer device 160.

At ACT 305, the application developer device 160 can generate a request.The request can be a request for the data processing system 102 to builda voice-based software application. The request can include informationrelated to the application. For example, the request can include anintent. The intent may correspond to one or more desired features of theapplication to be built. The request can also identify one or more typesof the application. The type of the application can correspond to acategory to which the application belongs (e.g., a video streamingapplication, a weather forecast application, a map application, a socialmedia application, a ridesharing service application, a gameapplication, etc.). The application developer device 160 can transmitthe request to the data processing system 102.

At ACT 310, the data processing system 102 can receive the request fromthe application developer device 160. The request can be received, forexample, by the request management component 112 shown in FIG. 1 . Thedata processing system 102 can process the request to determine orextract an intent or a type of application from the request. At ACT 320,the data processing system 102 can select one or more templates 122 tobe provided to the application developer device 160. The templates 122can be selected by the template management component 114 shown in FIG. 1. The templates 122 can assist the application developer device 160 withproviding additional information to allow the data processing system 102to build the application. The data processing system 102 can select thetemplates 122 based on the request. For example, the data processingsystem 102 can select the templates 122 based on the intent or the typeof the application that was extracted or determined from the requestreceived at ACT 310. The data processing system 102 can use one or morepolicies, such as the policies 124 shown in FIG. 1 , to select the oneor more templates 122. For example, a policy 124 may be any set of rulesor heuristics for selecting one or more templates 122 based on acharacteristic of the request received from the application developerdevice 160, such as an intent or a type of the application. The dataprocessing system 102 can provide the selected one or more templates 122to the application developer device 160.

At ACT 325, the application developer device 160 can receive theselected templates 122 from the data processing system 102. Theapplication developer device 160 can be configured to display arepresentation of the templates 122. For example, the applicationdeveloper device 160 can display the templates 122 within a web-basedgraphical user interface. The application developer device 160 can alsodisplay the templates 122 within a graphical user interface of adedicated software development application. At ACT 330, the applicationdeveloper device 160 can generate one or more inputs. The inputs cancorrespond to blank fields of modules included in the templates 122. Forexample, each template 122 can include at least one module. At leastsome of the modules may include blank or unpopulated fieldscorresponding to information or features that can be customized by theapplication developer device 160. The blank fields can be populated bythe application developer device 160, for example to specify text to bedisplayed in connection with one or more modules, video content to bedisplayed in connection with one or more modules, image content to bedisplayed in connection with one or more modules, user interfaceelements (e.g, selectable buttons) to be displayed in connection withone or more modules, etc. The application developer device 160 canprovide the inputs to the data processing system 102.

At ACT 335, the data processing system 102 can receive the inputs fromthe application developer device 160. The data processing system 102 canalso receive an indication of the templates or modules to which theinputs correspond. The data processing system 102 can then perform Acts340-360 to generate the application based on the inputs. For example, atACT 340, the data processing system 102 can identify a next template. Insome examples, multiple templates 122 can be used to generate theapplication. For example, the data processing system 102 can selectmultiple templates 122 at ACT 320, and the application developer device160 can generate inputs for the multiple templates 122 at ACT 330. Theapplication can be built one template at a time. Thus, the dataprocessing system 102 can identify a next template 122 at ACT 340.

At ACT 345, the data processing system 102 can identify a next module ofthe current template 122. For the identified module, the data processingsystem 102 can generate the corresponding computer code at ACT 350. Themodule may correspond to a voice-based or voice-activated feature orfunctionality of the application. At least some of the computer code canbe selected, identified, or generated as reusable or standardized codecorresponding to the selected module. For example, standardized orreusable code for a module can be stored in a memory element such as thedata repository 118 shown in FIG. 1 . The data processing system 102 canidentify the standardized or reusable code corresponding to the currentmodule. The data processing system 102 can also generate computer codecorresponding to any of the inputs provided by the application developerdevice 160 for the current module. For example, the data processingsystem 102 can use the inputs to fill in blank or unpopulated portionsof the standardized code for the current module. Together, thestandardized code and the code generated based on the inputs provided bythe application developer device 160 can constitute the code for thecurrent module. The code for the current module can be compiled toprovide a feature corresponding to the current module in theapplication. For example, the module may correspond to a voice-based orvoice-activated feature or functionality of the application.

At ACT 355, the data processing system 102 can determine whether thereare additional modules for the current template 122. For example, thetemplate 122 may include more than one module. The data processingsystem 102 can generate the code for each module in series. Thus, ifthere are additional modules for the current template 122, the dataprocessing system 102 can perform ACT 345 and 350 repeatedly until thedata processing system 102 has generated code corresponding to eachmodule of the current template 122. When the code for all of the modulesof the current template 122 has been generated, the data processingsystem 102 can determine whether there are additional templates 122 forthe application at ACT 360. If there are additional templates 122, thedata processing system 102 can return to ACT 340 to identify the nexttemplate 122, and can repeat ACTS 340, 345, 350, 355, and 360 until allof the data processing system 102 has generated the code for all of themodules of all of the templates 122. The data processing system 102 cancompile the code to build the application and can store the applicationat ACT 365. For example, the data processing system 102 can store theapplication in the data repository 118.

At ACT 370, the data processing system 102 can detect whether a functionof the application has been updated. For example, a function of theapplication can be updated when a module of any of the templates 122used to create the application is updated. An update to a module caninclude any change to a module, for example to improve or otherwisealter a corresponding function or feature. If no change to a function isdetected, the data processing system 102 can simply continue to checkfor changes. When an updated function is detected, the data processingsystem 102 can return to ACT 345 to identify the module that correspondsto the updated function. Then, the data processing system 102 canregenerate the code for the updated module at ACT 350. The dataprocessing system 102 can perform checks to see whether there areadditional updated modules or templates at ACTS 355 and 360, until allof the updated code is generated. The data processing system 102 canthen store the updated application at ACT 365. Thus, the data processingsystem 102 can automatically update the application on a periodic orcontinuous basis, without receiving any additional inputs from theapplication developer device 160.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example method 400 of generatingvoice-based software applications. The method 400 can be performed byone or more component, system or element of system 100 depicted in FIG.1 , system 300 depicted in FIG. 3 , or system 500 depicted in FIG. 5 .For example, the method 400 can be performed by a data processing systemsuch as the data processing system 102 shown in FIG. 1 . At ACT 405, thedata processing system 102 can receive a request to build anapplication. The application can be a voice-based software application.The data processing system 102 can receive the request from theapplication developer device 160 shown in FIG. 1 . The request caninclude information related to the application. For example, the requestcan include an intent. The intent may correspond to one or more desiredfeatures of the application to be built. The request can also identifyone or more types of the application. A type of the application cancorrespond to a category to which the application belongs. The requestcan be received, for example, by the request management component 112shown in FIG. 1 .

At ACT 410, the data processing system 102 can select one or moreapplication templates such as the templates 122 shown in FIG. 1 . Thedata processing system 102 can process the request to determine orextract an intent or a type of application from the request. The dataprocessing system 102 can select the one or more templates 122 to assistthe application developer device 160 with providing additionalinformation to allow the data processing system 102 to build theapplication. The data processing system 102 can select the templates 122based on the request. For example, the data processing system 102 canselect the templates 122 based on the intent or the type of theapplication that was extracted or determined from the request receivedat ACT 405. The data processing system 102 can use one or more policies,such as the policies 124 shown in FIG. 1 , to select the one or moretemplates 122. For example, a policy 124 may be any set of rules orheuristics for selecting one or more templates 122 based on acharacteristic of the request received from the application developerdevice 160, such as an intent or a type of the application.

At ACT 415, the data processing system 102 can provide the selected oneor more templates 122 to the application developer device 160. Thetemplates 122 can be provided to the application developer device 160 ina manner that causes the templates 122 to be displayed on theapplication developer device 160. For example, the templates 122 can bedisplayed within a graphical user interface on the application developerdevice 160. The graphical user interface can be a web-based graphicaluser interface. The graphical user interface can be an interface of asoftware development application executed on or otherwise accessed bythe application developer device 160. The templates 122 can be displayedalong with blank fields or other indications of unpopulated portions ofthe templates 122 that can be populated using the application developerdevice 160. For example, the application developer device 160 can enterone or more inputs for each blank field of each template 122 tocustomize functionality associated with the field.

At ACT 420, the data processing system 102 can receive the inputs foreach field. The data processing system 102 can receive the inputs fromthe application developer device 160. The data processing system 102 canalso receive an indication of the modules and blank fields to which theinputs correspond.

At ACT 425, the data processing system 102 can generate the softwareapplication. The data processing system 102 can generate the softwareapplication based on the templates 122 and the inputs provided by theapplication developer device 160. The data processing system 102 cangenerate the application by successively generating code for each moduleof each template 122. For example, there may be more than one template122 and more than one module per template 122 for the application. For agiven template 122, the data processing system 102 can select a firstmodule and can generate the computer code for that module. Some of thecode for a module can be standardized or reusable code. For example, thestandardized or reusable code can be stored in a memory element such asthe data repository 118 shown in FIG. 1 . The data processing system 102can identify the reusable code corresponding to the module and canretrieve the code from the data repository 118. The data processingsystem 102 can also generate computer code corresponding to any of theinputs provided by the application developer device 160 for the currentmodule. For example, the data processing system 102 can use the inputsto fill in blank or unpopulated portions of the standardized code of amodule. Together, the standardized code and the code generated based onthe inputs provided by the application developer device 160 canconstitute the code for the module. The module may correspond to avoice-based or voice-activated feature or functionality of theapplication. The data processing system 102 can also repeat this processfor other modules of a given template, and for the modules of anyadditional templates 122 as well, in order to generate the code for theentire application.

At ACT 430, the data processing system 102 can detect an update to afunction. The updated function can correspond to the at least one moduleof a template 122 used to build the application. For example, a functionof the application can be updated when a module of any of the templates122 used to create the application is updated. An update to a module caninclude any change to a module, for example to improve or otherwisealter the corresponding function or feature. The data processing system102 can identify the module that corresponds to the updated function. AtACT 435, the data processing system 102 can update the application togenerate an updated application. The data processing system 102 canregenerate the code for the updated module. For example, the dataprocessing system 102 can generate the code by repeating ACT 425 for theupdated module. The data processing system 102 can update the code forany module whose corresponding function has been updated. Updating thecode for at least one module can produce the updated application. Thedata processing system 102 can then store the updated application, forexample in the data repository 118. Thus, the data processing system 102can automatically update the application without any additional input oraction from the application developer device 160. As a result, the dataprocessing system 102 can allow the software application to be developedefficiently and updated automatically.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example computer system 500. Thecomputer system 500 can also be referred to as a computing device 500.The computer system 500 can include or be used to implement the system100, or its components such as the data processing system 102. The dataprocessing system 102 can include an intelligent personal assistant orvoice-based digital assistant. The computer system 500 includes a bus505 or other communication component for communicating information and aprocessor 510 or processing circuit coupled to the bus 505 forprocessing information. The computer system 500 can also include one ormore processors 510 or processing circuits coupled to the bus forprocessing information. The computer system 500 also includes mainmemory 515, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamicstorage device, coupled to the bus 505 for storing information, andinstructions to be executed by the processor 510. The main memory 515can be or include the data repository 118. The main memory 515 can alsobe used for storing position information, temporary variables, or otherintermediate information during execution of instructions by theprocessor 510. The computer system 500 may further include a read onlymemory (ROM) 520 or other static storage device coupled to the bus 505for storing static information and instructions for the processor 510. Astorage device 525, such as a solid state device, magnetic disk oroptical disk, can be coupled to the bus 505 to persistently storeinformation and instructions. The storage device 525 can include or bepart of the data repository 118.

The computer system 500 may be coupled via the bus 505 to a display 535,such as a liquid crystal display, or active matrix display, fordisplaying information to a user. An input device 530, such as akeyboard including alphanumeric and other keys, may be coupled to thebus 505 for communicating information and command selections to theprocessor 510. The input device 530 can include a touch screen display535. The input device 530 can also include a cursor control, such as amouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys, for communicatingdirection information and command selections to the processor 510 andfor controlling cursor movement on the display 535. The display 535 canbe part of the data processing system 102, the client computing device140 or other component of FIG. 1 , for example.

The processes, systems and methods described herein can be implementedby the computer system 500 in response to the processor 510 executing anarrangement of instructions contained in main memory 515. Suchinstructions can be read into main memory 515 from anothercomputer-readable medium, such as the storage device 525. Execution ofthe arrangement of instructions contained in main memory 515 causes thecomputer system 500 to perform the illustrative processes describedherein. One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement mayalso be employed to execute the instructions contained in main memory515. Hard-wired circuitry can be used in place of or in combination withsoftware instructions together with the systems and methods describedherein. Systems and methods described herein are not limited to anyspecific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

Although an example computing system has been described in FIG. 5 , thesubject matter including the operations described in this specificationcan be implemented in other types of digital electronic circuitry, or incomputer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structuresdisclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or incombinations of one or more of them.

For situations in which the systems discussed herein collect personalinformation about users, or may make use of personal information, theusers may be provided with an opportunity to control whether programs orfeatures that may collect personal information (e.g., information abouta user's social network, social actions or activities, a user'spreferences, or a user's location), or to control whether or how toreceive content from a content server or other data processing systemthat may be more relevant to the user. In addition, certain data may beanonymized in one or more ways before it is stored or used, so thatpersonally identifiable information is removed when generatingparameters. For example, a user's identity may be anonymized so that nopersonally identifiable information can be determined for the user, or auser's geographic location may be generalized where location informationis obtained (such as to a city, postal code, or state level), so that aparticular location of a user cannot be determined. Thus, the user mayhave control over how information is collected about him or her and usedby the content server.

The subject matter and the operations described in this specificationcan be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computersoftware, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed inthis specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinationsof one or more of them. The subject matter described in thisspecification can be implemented as one or more computer programs, e.g.,one or more circuits of computer program instructions, encoded on one ormore computer storage media for execution by, or to control theoperation of, data processing apparatuses. Alternatively or in addition,the program instructions can be encoded on an artificially generatedpropagated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical, optical, orelectromagnetic signal that is generated to encode information fortransmission to suitable receiver apparatus for execution by a dataprocessing apparatus. A computer storage medium can be, or be includedin, a computer-readable storage device, a computer-readable storagesubstrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or acombination of one or more of them. While a computer storage medium isnot a propagated signal, a computer storage medium can be a source ordestination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificiallygenerated propagated signal. The computer storage medium can also be, orbe included in, one or more separate components or media (e.g., multipleCDs, disks, or other storage devices). The operations described in thisspecification can be implemented as operations performed by a dataprocessing apparatus on data stored on one or more computer-readablestorage devices or received from other sources.

The terms “data processing system” “computing device” “component” or“data processing apparatus” encompass various apparatuses, devices, andmachines for processing data, including by way of example a programmableprocessor, a computer, a system on a chip, or multiple ones, orcombinations of the foregoing. The apparatus can include special purposelogic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or anASIC (application specific integrated circuit). The apparatus can alsoinclude, in addition to hardware, code that creates an executionenvironment for the computer program in question, e.g., code thatconstitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database managementsystem, an operating system, a cross-platform runtime environment, avirtual machine, or a combination of one or more of them. The apparatusand execution environment can realize various different computing modelinfrastructures, such as web services, distributed computing and gridcomputing infrastructures. For example, the direct action API 108 or NLPcomponent 106 and other data processing system 102 components caninclude or share one or more data processing apparatuses, systems,computing devices, or processors.

A computer program (also known as a program, software, softwareapplication, app, script, or code) can be written in any form ofprogramming language, including compiled or interpreted languages,declarative or procedural languages, and can be deployed in any form,including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component,subroutine, object, or other unit suitable for use in a computingenvironment. A computer program can correspond to a file in a filesystem. A computer program can be stored in a portion of a file thatholds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in amarkup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program inquestion, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store oneor more modules, sub programs, or portions of code). A computer programcan be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computersthat are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites andinterconnected by a communication network.

The processes and logic flows described in this specification can beperformed by one or more programmable processors executing one or morecomputer programs (e.g., components of the data processing system 102)to perform actions by operating on input data and generating output. Theprocesses and logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatuses canalso be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA(field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specificintegrated circuit). Devices suitable for storing computer programinstructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, mediaand memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor memorydevices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks,e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto optical disks; andCD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can besupplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

The subject matter described herein can be implemented in a computingsystem that includes a back end component, e.g., as a data server, orthat includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, orthat includes a front end component, e.g., a client computer having agraphical user interface or a web browser through which a user caninteract with an implementation of the subject matter described in thisspecification, or a combination of one or more such back end,middleware, or front end components. The components of the system can beinterconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication,e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networksinclude a local area network (“LAN”) and a wide area network (“WAN”), aninter-network (e.g., the Internet), and peer-to-peer networks (e.g., adhoc peer-to-peer networks).

A computer system such as system 100 or system 500 can include clientsand servers. A client and server are generally remote from each otherand typically interact through a communication network (e.g., thenetwork 105). The relationship of client and server arises by virtue ofcomputer programs running on the respective computers and having aclient-server relationship to each other. In some implementations, aserver transmits data (e.g., data packets representing a digitalcomponent) to a client device (e.g., for purposes of displaying data toand receiving user input from a user interacting with the clientdevice). Data generated at the client device (e.g., a result of the userinteraction) can be received from the client device at the server (e.g.,received by the data processing system 102 from the client computingdevice 140 or the application developer device 160 or the third-partydevice 162).

While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order,such operations are not required to be performed in the particular ordershown or in sequential order, and all illustrated operations are notrequired to be performed. Actions described herein can be performed in adifferent order.

The separation of various system components does not require separationin all implementations, and the described program components can beincluded in a single hardware or software product. For example, the NLPcomponent 106 or the direct action API 108, can be a single component,app, or program, or a logic device having one or more processingcircuits, or part of one or more servers of the data processing system102.

Having now described some illustrative implementations, it is apparentthat the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting, having beenpresented by way of example. In particular, although many of theexamples presented herein involve specific combinations of method actsor system elements, those acts and those elements may be combined inother ways to accomplish the same objectives. Acts, elements andfeatures discussed in connection with one implementation are notintended to be excluded from a similar role in other implementations orimplementations.

The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including” “comprising” “having” “containing” “involving”“characterized by” “characterized in that” and variations thereofherein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, equivalentsthereof, and additional items, as well as alternate implementationsconsisting of the items listed thereafter exclusively. In oneimplementation, the systems and methods described herein consist of one,each combination of more than one, or all of the described elements,acts, or components.

Any references to implementations or elements or acts of the systems andmethods herein referred to in the singular may also embraceimplementations including a plurality of these elements, and anyreferences in plural to any implementation or element or act herein mayalso embrace implementations including only a single element. Referencesin the singular or plural form are not intended to limit the presentlydisclosed systems or methods, their components, acts, or elements tosingle or plural configurations. References to any act or element beingbased on any information, act or element may include implementationswhere the act or element is based at least in part on any information,act, or element.

Any implementation disclosed herein may be combined with any otherimplementation or embodiment, and references to “an implementation,”“some implementations,” “one implementation” or the like are notnecessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to indicate that aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connectionwith the implementation may be included in at least one implementationor embodiment. Such terms as used herein are not necessarily allreferring to the same implementation. Any implementation may be combinedwith any other implementation, inclusively or exclusively, in any mannerconsistent with the aspects and implementations disclosed herein.

References to “or” may be construed as inclusive so that any termsdescribed using “or” may indicate any of a single, more than one, andall of the described terms. A reference to “at least one of” ‘A’ and 13′can include only ‘A’, only ‘B’, as well as both ‘A’ and ‘B’. Suchreferences used in conjunction with “comprising” or other openterminology can include additional items.

Where technical features in the drawings, detailed description or anyclaim are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have beenincluded to increase the intelligibility of the drawings, detaileddescription, and claims. Accordingly, neither the reference signs northeir absence have any limiting effect on the scope of any claimelements.

The systems and methods described herein may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the characteristics thereof. Theforegoing implementations are illustrative rather than limiting of thedescribed systems and methods. Scope of the systems and methodsdescribed herein is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather thanthe foregoing description, and changes that come within the meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims are embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system to generate voice-based softwareapplications, comprising: a data processing system comprising at leastone processor and memory to: receive, from an application developercomputing device, a request to build a voice-based software application,wherein the voice-based software application includes one or moregraphical interface elements that, when the voice-based softwareapplication is executed: are displayed by the voice-based softwareapplication, and are selectable, by user input when displayed, to causeinteraction with the voice-based software application; select, based ona policy and the request, an application template from a plurality ofapplication templates, the selected application template comprising atleast one module that corresponds to a function, that is voice-activatedand that is to play video content, of the voice-based softwareapplication and having at least one field to customize the video contentto be played using the function, the selected application templatefurther comprising reusable code for a particular graphical interfaceelement, of the one or more graphical interface elements, that, wheninteracted with by a user, controls an additional function, of the atleast one module of the voice-based software application, that interactswith the video content; provide the selected application template to theapplication developer computing device to cause the selected applicationtemplate to be displayed on the application developer computing device;receive, from the application developer computing device, an input forthe at least one field of the at least one module of the selectedapplication template, the input relating to the video content; generatethe voice-based software application based on the selected applicationtemplate and the input for the at least one field of the at least onemodule of the selected application template to allow the voice-basedsoftware application to perform, responsive to voice input, the functionthat corresponds to the at least one module of the selected applicationtemplate; cause the voice-based software application to be provided to aclient computing device for execution by the client computing device;detect an updated additional function comprising a change to thereusable code for the particular graphical interface element or theadditional function of the at least one module of the selectedapplication template, the change to the reusable code for the particulargraphical interface element or the additional function provided by anadministrator computing device of the data processing system differentfrom the application developer computing device; responsive to detectionof the updated additional function, regenerate the voice-based softwareapplication based on (1) the input for the at least one field of the atleast one module and (2) the change to the reusable code for theapplication template with the updated additional function to allow theregenerated voice-based software application to perform the updatedadditional function; and cause the regenerated voice-based softwareapplication to be provided to the client computing device for executionby the client computing device, wherein the regenerated voice-basedsoftware application includes an updated display of the selectable,particular graphical interface element rendered based on the change tothe reusable code, and wherein the updated display of the selectable,particular graphical interface element corresponds to the change to thereusable code, to provide the updated additional function forinteraction with the video content.
 2. The system of claim 1,comprising: the data processing system to: parse the request todetermine a type of the voice-based software application; and select theapplication template based on the type.
 3. The system of claim 1,comprising: the data processing system to: provide, to the applicationdeveloper computing device, a list of a plurality of application typesto cause the list to be displayed on the application developer computingdevice; receive, from the application developer computing device, aselection of a first type of the plurality of types; and select theapplication template based on the type.
 4. The system of claim 1,comprising: the data processing system to: determine a type of thevoice-based software application; identify, based on the request, asecond module not included in the selected application template, thesecond module corresponding to a second function of the voice-basedsoftware application; modify the selected application template togenerate a modified application template that includes the at least onemodule and the second module; and provide the modified applicationtemplate to the application developer computing device to cause themodified application template to be displayed on the applicationdeveloper computing device.
 5. The system of claim 1, comprising: thedata processing system to: determine a type of the voice-based softwareapplication; identify a second voice-based software application havingthe same type; and select the application template based on a secondfunction of the second voice-based software application.
 6. The systemof claim 1, comprising: the data processing system to: parse the requestto determine an intent; identify a plurality of modules associated withthe intent; and select the application template based on an overlapbetween the identified plurality of modules associated with the intentand the at least one module of the selected application template.
 7. Thesystem of claim 1, comprising: the data processing system to: receivethe request indicating that the voice-based application includes a videofunction; and select the application template to include a video moduleto support the video function.
 8. The system of claim 1, comprising: thedata processing system to: receive the request indicating that thevoice-based application includes a video function; select theapplication template to include a video module to support the videofunction, the video module corresponding to at least one of a pausefunction, a play function, a rewind function, or a forward function; anddetect the updated additional function corresponding to the change inthe reusable code for the graphical user interface element for the atleast one of the pause function, the play function, the rewind function,or the forward function.
 9. The system of claim 1, comprising: the dataprocessing system to: provide, to the application developer computingdevice, a web-based graphical user interface within which the selectedapplication template is displayed.
 10. The system of claim 1,comprising: the data processing system to: provide, to the applicationdeveloper computing device, a software development application that isexecuted by the developer computing device, the software developmentapplication comprising a graphical user interface within which theselected application template is displayed.
 11. The method of claim 1,wherein the additional function controlled by the particular graphicalinterface element is a pause function to pause the video content, arewind function to rewind the video content, or a forward function toforward the video content.
 12. A method of generating voice-basedsoftware applications, comprising: receiving, by a data processingsystem comprising at least one processor and memory, from an applicationdeveloper computing device, a request to build a voice-based softwareapplication, wherein the voice-based software application includes oneor more graphical interface elements that, when the voice-based softwareapplication is executed: are displayed by the voice-based softwareapplication, and are selectable, by user input when displayed, to causeinteraction with the voice-based software application; selecting, by thedata processing system based on a policy and the request, an applicationtemplate from a plurality of application templates, the selectedapplication template comprising at least one module that corresponds toa function, that is voice-activated and that is to play video content,of the voice-based software application and having at least one field tocustomize the video content to be played using the function, theselected application template further comprising reusable code for aparticular graphical interface element that, when interacted with by auser, controls an additional function of the at least one module of thevoice-based software application, that interacts with the video content;providing, by the data processing system, the selected applicationtemplate to the application developer computing device to cause theselected application template to be displayed on the applicationdeveloper computing device; receiving, by the data processing systemfrom the application developer computing device, an input for the atleast one field of the at least one module of the selected applicationtemplate, the input relating to the video content; generating, by thedata processing system, the voice-based software application based onthe selected application template and the input for the at least onefield of the at least one module of the selected application template toallow the voice-based software application to perform, responsive to thevoice input, the function that corresponds to the at least one module ofthe selected application template; causing, by the data processingsystem, the voice-based software application to be provided to a clientcomputing device for execution by the client computing device;detecting, by the data processing system, an updated additional functioncomprising a change the reusable code for the particular graphicalinterface element or the additional function of the at least one moduleof the selected application template, the change to the reusable codefor the particular graphical interface element or the additionalfunction provided by an administrator computing device of the dataprocessing system different from the application developer computingdevice; regenerating, by the data processing system responsive todetection of the updated additional function, the voice-based softwareapplication based on (1) the input for the at least one field of the atleast one module and (2) the change to the reusable code for theapplication template with the updated additional function to allow theregenerated voice-based software application to perform the updatedadditional function; and causing, by the data processing system, theregenerated voice-based software application to be provided to theclient computing device for execution by the client computing device,wherein the regenerated voice-based software application includes anupdated display of the selectable, particular graphical interfaceelement rendered based on the change to the reusable code, and whereinthe updated display of the selectable, particular graphical interfaceelement corresponds to the change to the reusable code, to provide theupdated additional function for interaction with the video content. 13.The method of claim 12, comprising: parsing, by the data processingsystem, the request to determine a type of the voice-based softwareapplication; and selecting, by the data processing system, theapplication template based on the type.
 14. The method of claim 12,comprising: providing, by the data processing system to the applicationdeveloper computing device, a list of a plurality of application typesto cause the list to be displayed on the application developer computingdevice; receiving, by the data processing system from the applicationdeveloper computing device, a selection of a first type of the pluralityof types; and selecting, by the data processing system, the applicationtemplate based on the type.
 15. The method of claim 12, comprising:determining, by the data processing system, a type of the voice-basedsoftware application; identifying, by the data processing system, asecond module not included in the selected application template, thesecond module corresponding to a second function of the voice-basedsoftware application; modifying, by the data processing system, theselected to application template to generate a modified applicationtemplate; and providing, by the data processing system, the modifiedapplication template to the application developer computing device tocause the modified application template to be displayed on theapplication developer computing device.
 16. The method of claim 12,comprising: determining, by the data processing system, a type of thevoice-based software application; identifying, by the data processingsystem, a second voice-based software application having the same type;and selecting, by the data processing system, the application templatebased on a second function of the second voice-based softwareapplication.
 17. The method of claim 12, comprising: parsing, by thedata processing system, the request to determine an intent; identifying,by the data processing system, a plurality of modules associated withthe intent; and selecting, by the data processing system, theapplication template based on an overlap between the identifiedplurality of modules associated with the intent and the at least onemodule of the selected application template.
 18. The method of claim 12,comprising: receiving, by the data processing system, the requestindicating that the voice-based application includes a video function;and selecting, by the data processing system, the application templateto include a video module to support the video function, the videomodule corresponding to at least one of a pause function, a playfunction, a rewind function, and a forward function.
 19. The method ofclaim 12, comprising: receiving, by the data processing system, therequest indicating that the voice-based application includes a videofunction; selecting, by the data processing system, the applicationtemplate to include a video module to support the video function, thevideo module corresponding to at least one of a pause function, a playfunction, a rewind function, or a forward function; and detecting, bythe data processing system, the updated additional functioncorresponding to a change in the reusable graphical user interfaceelement for the at least one of the pause function, the play function,the rewind function, or the forward function.
 20. The method of claim12, comprising: providing, by the data processing system to theapplication developer computing device, a web-based graphical userinterface within which the selected application template is displayed;or providing, by the data processing system to the application developercomputing device, a software development application that is executed bythe developer computing device, the software development applicationcomprising a graphical user interface within which the selectedapplication template is displayed.
 21. A non-transitorycomputer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructionsthat, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to perform operations comprising: receiving, by the one ormore processors and from an application developer computing device, arequest to build a voice-based software application, wherein thevoice-based software application includes one or more graphicalinterface elements that, when the voice-based software application isexecuted: are displayed by the voice-based software application, and areselectable, by user input when displayed, to cause interaction with thevoice-based software application; selecting, by the one or moreprocessors and based on a policy and the request, an applicationtemplate from a plurality of application templates, the selectedapplication template comprising at least one module that corresponds toa function, that is voice-activated and that is to play video content,of the voice-based software application and having at least one field tocustomize the video content to be played using the function, theselected application template further comprising reusable code for aparticular graphical interface element, of the one or more graphicalinterface elements, that, when interacted with by a user, controls anadditional function of the at least one module of the voice-basedsoftware application, that interacts with the video content; providing,by the one or more processors, the selected application template to theapplication developer computing device to cause the selected applicationtemplate to be displayed on the application developer computing device;receiving, by the one or more processors and from the applicationdeveloper computing device, an input for the at least one field of theat least one module of the selected application template, the inputrelating to the video content; generating, by the one or moreprocessors, the voice-based software application based on the selectedapplication template and the input for the at least one field of the atleast one module of the selected application template to allow thevoice-based software application to perform, responsive to the voiceinput, the function that corresponds to the at least one module of theselected application template; causing, by the one or more processors,the voice-based software application to be provided to a clientcomputing device for execution by the client computing device;detecting, by the one or more processors, an updated additional functioncomprising a change to the reusable code for the particular graphicalinterface element or the additional function of the at least one moduleof the selected application template, the change to the reusable codefor the particular graphical interface element or the additionalfunction provided by an administrator computing device of the dataprocessing system different from the application developer computingdevice; regenerating, by the one or more processors and responsive todetection of the updated additional function, the voice-based softwareapplication based on (1) the input for the at least one field of the atleast one module and (2) the change to the reusable code for theapplication template with the updated additional function to allow theregenerated voice-based software application to perform the updatedadditional function; and causing, by the one or more processors, theregenerated voice-based software application to be provided to theclient computing device for execution by the client computing device,wherein the regenerated voice-based software application includes anupdated display of the selectable, particular graphical interfaceelement rendered based on the change to the reusable code, and whereinthe updated display of the selectable, particular graphical interfaceelement corresponds to the change to the reusable code, to provide theupdated additional function for interaction with the video content.